A story for children with autism. The world is fighting with coronavirus

Dear parents,

At a time when the world is fighting the coronavirus and adapting to a new way of life, our team considered it important that the messages and precautions be properly presented and understood by children with autism. The purpose of this booklet is to help parents present the situation around Covid-19, the limitations and changes in our lifestyle in a way that is accessible to children on the spectrum. We hope that in this way we will reduce stress in children and support the efforts of parents in this difficult situation.

You can download the visual tale here: Booklet for children with autism

Along with the story, you will also find an application with symbolic pictures for a visual schedule, which you can print out and use when communicating with the child. The pictures are specially selected according to the needs of the children with autism. Our goal is the pictures from the appendix to be printed out by the parents, if necessary. So they can use them in their children’s visual schedules.

The situation is dynamic – measures are being taken down and added, maybe there will be more changes. Our goal through this application is for parents to have a tool for accessible visualization for the children with autism in everyday situations, changes, tension and /or anxiety, or intolerance to rejection or something else.

The author of the visual story is Virginia Vasileva – a psychologist and trainer at Karin Dom. As a psychologist at Karin Dom, Vergi conducts group and individual therapy with children with various difficulties, applying a family-oriented and family-mediated approach. She believes that that the therapy is successful, when unites the whole micro world of the child – family, kindergarten, therapists. Vergi is a certified ABA and PECS therapist. In 2017 acquires an European certificate in psychotherapy.